experience so far. For so many years I have been reluctant to say that
I could tolerate a touch-only phone, but is there a chance that this
could somehow change for me in the near future? Who knows. I can only
say that anything is possible with the way technology is constantly
changing from week to week.
Yes, there is a part of me that still craves the notion of a device
just working and doing what it is intended to do with flashy graphics
and smooth interface transitions...and the iPhone keeps coming to
mind. I do understand the limitations of certain features on the
iPhone such as camera, web functions, and speakerphone volume, but I
still have to consider reality. As much as I like using my N900,
there is a certain amount of efficiency that is lacking for daily use.
This could come from going without portrait mode and tolerating the
newness of Maemo5 for certain third party apps. While the E72 could
certainly address this matter by giving me the best of a seasoned OS,
app compatibility, hardware features, and hardware qwerty, there is
still something about the iPhone interface that draws me. Some sort of
magic seems to take place inside my iPod Touch whenever I access
functions with the touch of my fingertips, and I remember this from
using an iPhone in the past. The look and feel of an interface is just
as important as what hardware it is running on, and I honestly cannot
see how Symbian would be able to compare to the iPhone...even if it is
more advanced in some ways. I would be lying if I claimed to not be
affected by the flair and smooth performance of the iPhone OS. The
remote trace of this in the way that Maemo5 carries itself with
onscreen transitions is why I am using the N900 in the first place.
There is certainly an ease of usability that comes with the swiping
and turning of that coveted Apple device, and I think about this from
time to time when I have to slide open a qwerty or be forced to use
both hands on any mobile gadget. As much as I do like the allure of my
N900 feeling more like an Internet tablet, I am honestly missing the
convenience of a typical smartphone...especially one that can offer an
impressive touch experience. Another huge benefit of the iPhone would
be Mac syncing from the iTunes relationship. There would be no more
need for the Missing Sync app from mark/space since all concerns would
be handled every time I connect my device via USB.
Being with the TMobile network makes Nexus One a possible candidate
for a touch-only device, but I am not fully convinced of Android's
usefulness and performance in comparison to the iPhone. Mac syncing
could indeed be partly taken care of by Google Calendar, but I am not
familiar with it and may not take to complementing iCal with it any
time soon. Missing Sync software fortunately has an Android version,
but it only addresses contact syncing at this time. Once calendar sync
is enabled with this app, Android could certainly be a promising
alternative...but not now. Responsiveness of the virtual qwerty is
another concern of using Nexus One. Right now I am typing this word
document on my iPod Touch via Quickoffice for iPhone and I am
practically flying through the keys with no trouble at all. THIS is
the kind of typing experience I prefer when on a mobile device, and I
have so far received it only from the Nokia E71/E72, Apple iPhone/iPod
Touch, and to a certain extent the HTC Touch Pro 2. As virtual qwertys
go, I never had much favor for HTC Sense on HD2 or Symbian 5th edition
on N97/N97 mini. Honestly, I don't favor Maemo5's virtual qwerty on
the N900 either. The last time I had touched an Android virtual qwerty
was at a TMobile store when I looked at the myTouch model. I was
indeed turned off by the cramped layout and there was absolutely
nothing about the typing feedback that reminded me of the Apple
alternative. Responsiveness of the keys seemed fine, but accuracy was
a different story altogether. I would build up a great speed in
writing and then suddenly get snagged with a typo that couldn't be
redeemed by auto correction. While I thought that screen size made the
difference in typing experience, the HD2 and its 4inch screen proved
me wrong with a not-so-promising performance. As much as I wanted HTC
Sense to be a primary OS for my daily usage, typing on those soft keys
was not as responsive as the iPhone. There is no ignoring the fact
that OS determines performance factors of any qwerty, virtual or
hardware.
As I continue to type this document on my iPod Touch, I am reminded of
the excitement that awaits me in possibly unboxing an iPhone 3GS with
AT&T. However, I am also aware of the potential boredom that may kick
in after a period of use. While boredom comes with every device,
overall satisfaction can make the difference between staying or
adopting something else. I can remember the first time I had the
iPhone in my hands with my SIM, and it felt great! Taking my fingers
and swiping commands to my heart's content seemed to conjure a surge
of endorphins, and I was glad to be one with my Jesus phone. Having a
direct sync line to my Mac via iTunes basically solidified my position
as an Applehead, a certified Mac fanboy willing to die for Steve
Jobs. :) Nothing wrong could come of the first-gen iPhone for me, and
I was almost convinced that it would be one of my most perfect
possessions until the end of time. Then reality smacked me in the face
with lack of MMS, hardware qwerty, and the drawbacks of AT&T and
certain iPhone features. I ultimately decided to put my trust in Nokia
for the best convergence of multimedia and office functions.
I only chose the N900 for the perceived benefits I would gain from its
hardware being manufactured by Nokia. There have been too many times
when I have gone to competing manufacturers like HTC only to be
underwhelmed by built-in features. Quality of speaker audio and camera
lens tends to be a high priority in selecting a phone, and at this
point this seems to not make sense anymore. How important is it to
have five or more megapixels in a lens? How important is it to have
stereo speakers? How important is it to have 30 frames per second for
video capture? How important is it to have acceptable audio quality on
that video capture? The more I use my phone, the less crucial these
features are starting to become for me. I am slowly but surely getting
to the conclusion that only email access, calendar appointment/contact
management, portability, ease of use and Mac syncing are the most
important features for me in a smartphone. I sometimes feel like I am
punched in the gut from harsh reality when I really take time to
consider real time use of my phone. Will I ever SERIOUSLY prefer a
mobile phone camera over my Panasonic Lumix or Canon HD camcorder?
Should I ever truly depend on the battery life of a phone to playback
music and multimedia files when I have an iPod Touch? Common sense
would say "no" to both of these questions, but a "yes" answer could be
used for the sake of versatility. Finding multiple uses for a device
can be quite useful, but even Nokia's reputation for well-made
hardware can lose some clout on this matter. No matter how many tasks
a phone can take on, I have always figured a Nokia to be a jack of all
trades and master of none
in regards to features. The past did have Nokia in a better light as a
most innovative manufacturer, but the tables are turning as other
companies are rising to the challenge. My N900 may be able to convey
ultimate utility in web browsing, but its lack of convenient portrait
mode navigation, suitable Mac syncing, Google Maps compatibility, word
document editing, and portability is starting to wear on my patience.
While a Carl Zeiss lens can take suitable still images, it isn't like
they will ever be printed from my computer. Any mobile device
generating a picture will most likely be doing so for the web, and I
have found that 3 megapixels versus 5 may not be that big of a
difference to be worried over. Since purchasing my Canon HD camcorder,
I have yet to regain trust in shooting a TRENT SENSE episode with a
Nokia phone (or with ANY phone) no matter how good its lens happens to
be! Mobile speakers tend to be null and void for music playback aloud
since they usually can lack bass along with depth, so headphones would
most likely be a necessity. Carl Zeiss lenses with 30 frames per
second video capture no longer carry the same weight they used to with
me. Turning my phone into a multimedia office suite doesn't seem to be
plausible after so much time in trying one device after another. There
is always a point of compromise that has to be considered when using
any model, and I am learning this first hand with my N900. This could
be the starting point to venturing out beyond Nokia without feeling
like I am downgrading. Only the Nokia E71 has managed to be a mainstay
for an extended period of time due to portability, durability, PIM
data, office suite, and Mac syncing. Multimedia was a feature that
wasn't the E71's strength, but I accepted it for the most part. This
would have to be the only time I can honestly say I really felt
content with a device as a well-rounded companion. For touch-only
models, I appear to be stuck at the moment between my curiosity for
Android and my familiarity with iPhone.
As I realize that my wants in a mobile gadget may be changing once
again, not having the mini version of a battleship that can do
everything doesn't seem so bad anymore.
Trent Smith
Sent from my iPod Touch 64GB
*************************************
TRENT SENSE blogger/netcast host
trentsense.com
YouTube.com/absolon3
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